Control console centers are commonly employed to control several transceivers from a common location. Generally, the control console enables an operator to monitor or communicate over various communication channels to provide supervisory or dispatcher functions. Such control console centers typically provide the operator with at least two speakers for transducing audible information. Generally, one speaker is used for monitoring a selected communication resource (selected speaker), and the other speaker is used for monitoring a mix of nonselected communication resources (mix speaker).
To control the volume of the selected speaker, or the mix speaker, the prior art typically provides two selection switches and an adjustment switch (usually a potentiometer). The first selection switch causes the audio information of the selected communication resource to be routed to the selected speaker. The second selection switch initiates or deactivates a full volume setting of the communication resource. Finally, if the second selection switch has deactivated the full volume setting, the adjustment switch allows the operator to manually adjust the volume setting of the communication resource.
For example, when a communication resource is first selected by enabling the appropriate channel control module (CCM), the selected speaker receives the audio information at full volume. If the operator wishes to lower the volume level of the selected resource, he must engage the second selection switch. Once the second selection switch has deactivated the full volume setting, the adjustment switch may then be utilized to obtain the desired volume level. There are certain inefficiencies associated with this approach.
For example, due to hardware requirements, this configuration typically requires the use of two channel control switch modules (CCSM). Further, and more critically, the operator is required to manipulate two switches to effectively achieve a single function; i.e., changing volume level from an initial predetermined full volume.
A need exists for a communication control console center that avoids these problems.